Sherlock Holmes: The Greatest Detective of All Time
Sherlock Holmes is one of the best literary creations in British literature, and the creation of the character of the “consultative detective” in the detective stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has impressed the readers worldwide. With his proficient observation, extensive knowledge of forensic science and brilliant wit, Holmes is able to solve any and every intricate problem that crosses his way. This beloved literary character has undoubtedly emerged to be a great hero, triumphing against odds in the face of adversity, while employing his brilliant wit, to solve the mysterious problems. As a man committed to right the universal wrongs, and helping people solve the most perplexing cases, Sherlock Holmes does emerge to be a proto-superhero, if not a superhero (Doyle). Although Sherlock can be seen to possess a variety of traits of a superhero, such as he has an outstanding logical deduction skills, or not a single detective can be found to be as good a marksman, as he is, he absence of any supernatural power makes him a hero only.
In literature, the central character of a literary work is being defined to be a hero. Usually, this central character exhibits a variety of impressive traits, such as ingenuity, strength and bravado. Besides, a hero in the traditional sense intends to perform actions that are meant for the good of the mankind (Murray). In the light of this features, the character of Holmes needs to be analyzed. First of all, a hero is known to possess a variety of unique skills that prove his exceptional expertise in doing things. As the greatest detective of all time, Holmes has an exceptionally brilliant, analytical mind that helps him observe every small detail, take account of every trivial thing, and deduce conclusion based on the basis of his amazing reasoning skills. Holmes is unusually clever, and with logical skills being his forte, he is able to decode any mystery in a glimpse of eye. With his eye for detail, an analytical bent of mind and his unquestionable skills as a marksman, Sherlock has been honing and enhancing his humane skills to become a better version of himself. He is not a superhero, as he does not possess and superpower, and his skills and expertise in solving mysteries bears testimony to his brilliant wit, and meticulous practice (Starrett). In fact, Holmes himself rejects the idea of labeling him a superman, as he states that an undergraduate, he developed his skills of logical deduction, and practiced this profession as an amateur before he started working so meticulously. It becomes evident that Sherlock has perfected his skills, and does not possess any gifted skill, such as expertise in flying in the sky, faster than light speed, x-ray vision or regenerative healing nature that could make him a superman (Farghaly).
Does Sherlock Holmes Possess Superhuman Qualities?
In fact, there are times when the reader might also question if Holmes’ character even fits into the category of a hero or not. A hero is anyone who refrains from any bad habit, possesses the idealized traits of goodness and virtues, and impresses the readers by his virtuous nature. However, Holmes is addicted to drugs, and occasionally consumes cocaine, leads the life of a bohemian, as described by Watson, in The Hound of Baskervilles, does not keep his room tidy, and even often bends the law by breaking into the house or lying to the police. Thus, he is far from being the “noble man” of literature. However, nevertheless Holmes is regarded as a hero because he posses extensive knowledge about his work, possesses all the skills and expertise required to triumph over the odds, and impresses the readers through his skills as a boxer, swordsman and singlestick player (Pearson). He has the exceptional power to observe the minor details, solve any case, no matter how much intricate it is, and is adept in analyzing physical evidence such as latent prints for the quick identification of the criminal. His “abducative reasoning skill” is exceptionally strong, and easily fascinates a reader. In The Sign of the Four, Holmes’ wresting skills impress the readers, as he emerges to be an adept bare- knuckle fighter. Holmes is not only a hero of the novel in the sense that the main action of the novel revolves around his character, but also because he is found to exhibit exceptional skills and expertise. In fact, in The Adventure of the Speckled Band, Sherlock Holmes does also demonstrate his above the average physical strength, as he is shown to bend a fire poker in half. Besides, just like an impressive hero, helping people in needs, Holmes is dedicated to extend his help to the powerful monarchs as well as the impoverished pawnbrokers and governesses of his time (Nicole).
From the above discussion, it becomes clear that Sherlock Holmes does exhibit a variety of features that characterize a hero. However, it would be interesting to see which superhuman qualities are present in Holmes. A benevolent fictional character born with gifted, superhuman skills is referred to as a superman. A superhero is anyone who is born with superhuman qualities, for example the Spiderman possesses the unique talent of clinging tenaciously to most surfaces. However, deductive skills and a keen sense of observation- the two outstanding qualities of Holmes do not help him fit into the category of a superhuman. As mentioned before, his humane skills have been honed and perfected by him that makes him much better than other fellow human beings. However, Holmes does not possess any skill or power that cannot be possessed by any other human being. Unlike the superman, he is not bestowed with any special super power, such as superhuman strength, faster than light speed (Skoller). A superhuman usually saves a city or the world at large with the help of his all-encompassing power (Thompson). The same is not possible for Holmes, who although helps Scotland as and when required, is known for saving a city like Gotham in his life. Again, superheroes usually have a secret identity, and while they lead a normal life, with a public identity, they do have a private identity as well. Sherlock Holmes did not need to maintain a secret identity, and does not lead mysterious life. Besides, like a superhero, he does now have any gimmick or a flashy costume; neither does he possess an alter-ego in order to conceal his identity. Again, a superhero does not work for money, and his help is not sought by the people he benefits. A superhuman usually does not work for money, and he serves mankind as he believes his obligation lies in helping people in distress. However, Sherlock Holmes acts as a professional detective, who helps people solve mysterious cases and offer justice only when he is being hired in lieu of money. Again, the sense of grandeur associated with the concept of a superman cannot be traced in Holmes. A superhero usually accomplishes larger than life missions, such as the Superman saving the planet from the Kryptonite villain General Zod or the Batman saving the Gotham city from the hands of tyrannical Joker. However, a far as Holmes is concerned, he is dedicated to help people solve mysterious cases, with the help of logical and mathematical deduction, and neither does he accomplish any grand and seemingly impossible mission, nor does he employ the use of any exceptionally astonishing power. Besides, a superhero combats with the super villains, whose power cannot be vanquished by any ordinary human being. AS far as Sherlock Holms is concerned, in none of the chapters does he encounter, powerful villains like Magnet, Joker, Galactus and Loki (Jaber). He solves difficult, puzzling criminal cases which definitely require expertise, and yet he does not encounter any super villain. Again, it is no less important a fact that although Sherlock Holmes just like any superman, inspires awe in the minds of the readers, his attitude to his work is quite different from that of the superheroes. Sherlock often solves criminal cases I order to get rid of his boredom, rather than considering it to be an obligation to protect the masses from the imminent danger. (Sims)
To conclude, it has been observed that Holmes is not a superhero, nor does he fit into the category of one. Although some critics have pointed out that with his iconic outfit, and a pipe in his mouth, the very appearance of Holmes does match the look of a Superman, with a pair of underpants and tights. With his incredible deductive abilities, that can be possessed by anyone, but yet is not possessed by one, he does emerge to be more than a mere hero. However, the above discussion does prove that although Holmes does possess a set of unique skills, he does not exhibit any of the classical superhero powers. He does not possess any unusually peculiar power that can distinguish him from the rest of the human beings, nor has he dedicated is life for the greater cause of humanity. However, he is an exceptionally skilled detective, who with the help of the expertise and deductive capability, does rise to an occasion and solves the intricate cases.
Reference List:
Doyle, Arthur Conan. Sherlock Holmes: The complete novels and stories. Vol. 1. Bantam classics, 2013.
Farghaly, Nadine. Gender and the Modern Sherlock Holmes: Essays on Film and Television Adaptations Since 2009. McFarland, 2015.
Jaber, Maysaa. “Sherlock Holmes in Hollywood: Film Series, Genre and Masculinities.” Serial Crime Fiction. Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2015. 167-176.
Murray, Chris. The British Superhero. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2017.
Nicol, Bran. “Sherlock Holmes Version 2.0: Adapting Doyle in the twenty-first century.” Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle. Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2013. 124-139.
Pearson, Roberta. “5 Googling Sherlock Holmes.” The Politics of Ephemeral Digital Media: Permanence and Obsolescence in Paratexts (2016): 77.
Sims, Michael. Arthur & Sherlock: Conan Doyle and the Creation of Holmes. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
Skoller, Jenna. “Sherlock Holmes and Newt Scamander: Incorporating Protected Nonlinear Character Delineation into Derivative Works.” Colum. JL & Arts 38 (2014): 577.
Starrett, Vincent. The private life of Sherlock Holmes. Open Road Media, 2014.
Thompson, Dave. Sherlock Holmes FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the World’s Greatest Private Detective. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2014.
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